m00n Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 EBay theif reveals tricks of the trade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 m00n, Thanks for the info............scares me cause I'd been looking at the sales on ebay for Plasma TV's.....but It sounded to good to be true. Now maybe some of the Board members will understand, what a good deal we have when selling to fellow members!................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Well these low lifes will not get one cent off me.because I NEVER buy from any online place where you bid. All my trasnsactions are done with cash and seller to buyer,in person.I dont know the person they dont get one cent,that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I had a hook in one of those guys over a Ducati ST2. When I insisted on lawyers, dealers and 3rd party escrow, he fell silent. Then, I helped Ebay nail him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Great post m00n,most of these scams are easily avoided with common sense(see John above).I think the term "scam"implies,you thought it was too good to be true,gambled,and it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted September 24, 2003 Author Share Posted September 24, 2003 Excellent John! Good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelShaffer Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 There used to be a little known message forum called darkprofits.net where they talked about scamming etc and today it's not working. I wonder if this person was connected to it.. I had a feeling it wouldn't last long.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 I'm of a mind like Fish and Moon. It is one thing if the seller is a simply not the guy he pretends to be and / or doesn't deliver goods in what looks like a bona fide transaction. However, we saw some other stuff going on with the White Van sales and the activities described are in the same league. There is sometimes the hint that the goods are stolen or there is a customs scam. So the buyer suspects someone is being cheated, not him, and then goes into the deal. There is a scam, but the victim is the buyer. He later complains that he's been cheated. Another variation is where the buyer thinks he's buying "warm" high priced trademarked (The Rolex Watch, or a fashion item of clothing) goods. This doesn't set off any feelings of guilt. Then after the sale the buyer discovers the goods are counterfeit, and cries foul. It just goes to show that if something looks dishonest, don't get involved. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 Great advice, Gil. I might add, if all else fails, get a good attorney. fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 Greetings: The things that ARE important to some members of this Forum are counterfeit tubes. Telefunkens, Mullards, Genalex, Brimar are all names I have seen some halfway decent copies of. A second is the use of the term NOS with a question mark after it. Last is adding : "I don't own a tube tester, but..." or the lettering rubbed off. There are a number of books that will give you information on tubes, their construction, how to identify them. There are ways to identify the maker of tubes, become familiar with them. Ask the Seller to snail mail an invoice with description of purchase, and pay with a USPS Money Order, then if you don't get what you paid for contact the Postal Investigators. Mail Fraud = Federal. You'll save money and the quality sound of your system. Win dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 Greetings: One tactic that should concern a number of Buyers on this Forum is Counterfeit tubes. Telefunken, Genalex, Mullard, Brimar - numerous brands of popular tubes are all being made with the fake logos. There are books in print that will tell you how to recognize the real brand: they give construction characteristics, code numbers, a number of things. Become familiar. You will see some of the following for Counterfeit, or dead, tubes ads: NOS ? "I don't have a tube tester but..." "in white boxes," with no reason why they are "Checked on my xxx tube tester" - not all of these are scams, but does everyone own a Hickock 600? "The lettering has rubbed off" There are more. If you have to lie, and say your computer will be down, can the snail mail an invoice the pay with a US Postal Money Order. If the item is fake, Mail Fraud. Report it to your local Authorities, the Postal Inspectors and Safe Harbor at eBay. Press charges and don't back off. Remember, eBay, PayPal, BillPoint, BillPay, will not send emails asking you to verify your information. When signing in to these sites, use the "Secure Sign In" that some provide. You will always see "Encrypted Page." Try to get the seller's phone number. Some want privacy, so get their real name. Look up the address in a reverse lookup and see if the information provided matches. Don't respond to emails sent regarding a similar product to one you just bought. It may look like a listing but you may notice similarities in photgraphs. Check their feedback and also some of those that have left feedback. Above all, be persistent in demanding prosecution and you get what you pay for. Win dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 8:39:23 AM dodger wrote: There are books in print that will tell you how to recognize the real brand: they give construction characteristics, code numbers, a number of things. Become familiar. ---------------- Win, Do you have any specific recommendations (i.e. book titles)? fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 8:39:23 AM dodger wrote: Remember, eBay, PayPal, BillPoint, BillPay, will not send emails asking you to verify your information. ---------------- I had somebody try to sucker me into one of those. I got an email at work saying I needed to "verify" my PayPal account information otherwise they were going to cancel my account. I immediatly saw the red flag in that one. First, I never used my work e-mail address with PayPal, so why would I be getting the message there. I would expect to be getting it at the e-mail that is associated with my account. Also, I did know that PayPal and such never needed to "verify" my information like that. The e-mail was asking for a lot of personal information, such as SS #, CC #, phone, mom's maiden name, acount number and password, etc. If it was a "legitimate" e-mail, I would think it would just simply ask me to log into my account and verify the information already there is correct, such as the occasional reminder I get from the likes of ING Direct with my statements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 9:03:00 AM fini wrote: ---------------- On 9/25/2003 8:39:23 AM dodger wrote: There are books in print that will tell you how to recognize the real brand: they give construction characteristics, code numbers, a number of things. Become familiar. ---------------- Win, Do you have any specific recommendations (i.e. book titles)? fini ---------------- Greetings: "Tube Lore: A Reference for Users and Collectors" by Ludwell Sibley is a good start. He goes into history, development and application along with reference numbers for Manufacturers. Antique Electronic Supply also has a number and I'm sure there are others. "Tube Substitution Guide" is also one worth having if you do a lot of tube rolling. I hope this helps, we can get enough scams without these. Win dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted September 25, 2003 Author Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 10:23:57 AM skonopa wrote: If it was a "legitimate" e-mail, I would think it would just simply ask me to log into my account and verify the information already there is correct, ---------------- Excellent point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formica Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 8:39:23 AM dodger wrote: If you have to lie, and say your computer will be down, can the snail mail an invoice the pay with a US Postal Money Order. If the item is fake, Mail Fraud. ---------------- That is a good idea, and it also gives a "mailing address" for the person as well. I hadn't thought about that... Bigger ticked items always run a bigger risk... after all, if a seller doesn't ship you the 15$ item you won... it's not a huge loss for you, nor was it really worth his time as a true "scam". A Plasma display on the other hand in an entirely different thing ! The thing that baffles me is how close some of these big-ticket items sell to their retail prices... kinda makes me wonder where the benefit is... given the risk. Why not buy it from an online retailer (with a physical address) in that case? I have not purchased or sold many things on Ebay... but all my exchanges have been successful and friendly. It can be a great tool to locating hard to find items and most people are honest... it's too bad just a few people can make it unpleasant for many. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 10:29:39 AM m00n wrote: ---------------- On 9/25/2003 10:23:57 AM skonopa wrote: If it was a "legitimate" e-mail, I would think it would just simply ask me to log into my account and verify the information already there is correct, ---------------- Excellent point! ---------------- Greetings: PayPal has now gone to asking, at their site, for two (2) points of identification. You get to choose two (2) of three (3): Mother's Maiden name or last four (4) digits of your SS # or City you were born in. I called them and stated that that information could assist in Identity theft. The Rep replied, "it's stored in our computers, we can't see it." My reply was that if the White House computers and the Pentagon computers can be hacked in to,. PayPals could also be. Remember they already have your bank account and Credit Card numbers. So the Rep's reply was enter something you'll remember. The computer just needs to see something in that field. So I made up my info for the two (2) questions. Unless you have a computer that is not hooked to any outside line, is in a room to which only you have a secure lock and the ONLY key or access code, has no wireless capablities, there is always the chance of someone hacking in. Win dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 ---------------- On 9/25/2003 10:38:01 AM formica wrote: I have not purchased or sold many things on Ebay... but all my exchanges have been successful and friendly. It can be a great tool to locating hard to find items and most people are honest... it's too bad just a few people can make it unpleasant for many. Rob ---------------- I agree completely with you. I have bought a few items through eBay, although I have never sold anything. The biggest ticket item I bought was a pair of skis for $250. The guy that sold me the skis actually gave me an 1-800 number to call for the final pricing with S&H. The skis arrived in perfect condition. So far, I have been lucky. Eveything that I bought from a $5 book up to the aforementioned skis, the people I dealt with had been very friendly and honost and everything I got came in flawless condition in well-packed boxes. It is a shame that there are a few people that will take advantage of what is essentially an honor system and screw it up for others. But as what has been mentioned, use some common sense. If the seller wants to take the transaction out of the eBay system - there is a red flag. If the seller insists on using his own escrow service instead of PayPal and other well known and legitimate pay services, again - a red flag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygmn Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 I have seen this on every board I am on...... I Hate cheater thief scumbags....Work for your money..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curmudgeon Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 On-line auctions that ask for Western Union money transfers as the only form of payment are a big tip-off that it's a scam. Another major red flag is an eBay auction that restricts bidders to only those pre-qualified (via e-mail) by the seller. Personally, I don't think eBay should even allow that type of auction as it lets thieves pick and choose among their victims. Thieves have also tried to sell vehicles on eBay, one zero tried to sell a Kawasaki ZZR-1200 that was non-existent. He had pulled images of the bike from a private web site and gotten a VIN (vehicle identification number) from another ZZR registry site. The thief's mistake was that the real owner's truck was in one the picture's along with the motorcycle, the real owner saw the auction and notified eBay to get it shut down. It's amazing what some of these low-life MF'ers will try just to extract money from unsuspecting buyers. Never, ever give out VIN's or serial numbers for vehicles, audio equipment, or anything worth owning because somewhere out there is a lazy slimeball just waiting for something to legitimize their next listing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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